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Can stimulants help anxiety


Can It Help? I Psych Central

Adderall can help manage symptoms of ADHD but can make symptoms of anxiety worse in some cases.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopment condition that affects how you think and behave.

It’s not uncommon to experience symptoms of anxiety when you have ADHD. In fact, nearly half of adults who live with ADHD also have some type of anxiety disorder.

Managing ADHD and anxiety are difficult. When both conditions occur together, it can be even more of a challenge.

Adderall is a stimulant often prescribed to treat narcolepsy and ADHD. It can help improve attention, focus, and concentration.

If you live with ADHD and anxiety, you may be wondering whether Adderall can also help improve your anxiety symptoms.

The answer to that is a complex one, as the effects of ADHD can differ from person to person. In some people, Adderall may make symptoms of anxiety worse.

Adderall is FDA approved to treat narcolepsy and ADHD. It isn’t typically used to treat anxiety, and when used alone, it may worsen your symptoms.

A 2018 review found that while amphetamines are helpful for reducing the severity of ADHD symptoms in adults in the short term, it does not improve anxiety symptoms.

Another study from 2018 found that while amphetamines may worsen anxiety symptoms, methylphenidate use in the short term may help lessen anxiety in adults. But this study also found that long-term use in childhood may increase a person’s chance of experiencing anxiety in adulthood.

A 2016 study found that excessive use of Adderall may increase symptoms of ADHD and anxiety in college students.

Adderall may help in the short term but the benefits may not last. There’s also a chance of dependence when taking stimulants such as Adderall.

This medication can also produce side effects similar to those of anxiety such as nervousness, irritability, and restlessness.

Adderall is a prescription medication used to treat ADHD or narcolepsy. It can help improve your mood, attention, and focus.

Adderall contains amphetamine and dextroamphetamine and works by increasing the level of dopamine and norepinephrine. This activates the sympathetic nervous system and the fight, flight, or freeze response.

It affects the natural substances in your brain that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control — common symptoms of ADHD.

Anxiety disorder is a mental health condition that often involves excessive fear and worry. We all experience anxious feelings from time to time.

But when that anxiety occurs all the time and begins to interfere with your daily functioning, it may be an anxiety disorder.

The common symptoms of anxiety include:

  • restlessness
  • nervousness
  • pain
  • rapid heart rate
  • trembling
  • feelings of danger
  • weakness
  • difficulty focusing
  • avoidance
  • repetitive behavior
  • lethargy
  • insomnia

If you’re unsure whether what you’re experiencing is anxiety, consider taking our anxiety test. While this test can’t be used as a diagnostic tool, it can help keep track of your moods.

Adderall is a prescription medication, which means a prescription is required from a healthcare or mental health professional.

Taking medication for anxiety when it’s not prescribed isn’t advised. If you’re curious about whether Adderall can help with your anxiety symptoms, consider speaking with a healthcare or mental health professional.

Serious side effects may occur if you take Adderall with an anti-anxiety medication.

Yes. Like most medications, Adderall does come with side effects. Some common side effects are:

  • nervousness
  • restlessness
  • headaches
  • problems sleeping
  • dizziness
  • dry mouth
  • slowed speech
  • decreased appetite, sometimes disrupting growth and development in children
  • nausea
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • irritability or agitation
  • elevated blood pressure
  • stomach or bladder pain

There are also some rare but intense side effects to watch for, including:

  • uncontrollable shaking
  • seizures
  • hallucinations
  • paranoia
  • worsening mental health conditions

You may have a higher chance of experiencing side effects if you have:

  • high blood pressure
  • heart disease
  • substance use disorder or alcohol use disorder
  • another mental health condition

If you’re pregnant or considering becoming pregnant, you may want to consult with your doctor before taking Adderall. Suddenly stopping Adderall may result in withdrawal symptoms. Slowly tapering off the medication may help you avoid any unwanted side effects.

When ADHD and anxiety coexist, learning how to manage them is crucial.

According to research from 2017, healthcare or mental health professional will likely begin by seeing which condition affects your quality of life more and then work from there.

Anxiety is often treated with anti-anxiety medications. Stimulants are often used to treat ADHD, but other options are available.

Common treatment options aren’t the best choice when the two disorders coexist. Instead, your doctor might suggest therapy for anxiety and try a few different options for ADHD.

They’ll likely monitor your progress and symptoms to determine what’s working and if any changes are necessary.

Your lifestyle and specific symptoms will be considered to determine a unique treatment plan that best fits you.

Psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) might also be recommended. Therapy can help address the underlying factors of both conditions to determine where they overlap as well as provides coping tools to help you manage your symptoms.

Adderall may be prescribed to help treat ADHD. It isn’t often used for anxiety and could even worsen symptoms in some people.

While the evidence is mixed, it largely suggests that Adderall may make symptoms of anxiety worse, particularly if used in the long term.

If you have ADHD and anxiety, consider speaking with a healthcare or mental health professional to determine what medication may be helpful. They can develop a treatment plan that works for you and your unique set of symptoms.

Understanding the Link and How To Treat

Written by Rachel Reiff Ellis

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety are separate conditions, but for a lot of folks they come as a package deal. About half of adults with ADHD also have anxiety disorder. If you're one of them, the right treatment can improve your ADHD symptoms and ease your anxious feelings, too.

What to Expect From ADHD and Anxiety

When you have anxiety along with ADHD, it may make some of your ADHD symptoms worse, such as feeling restless or having trouble concentrating. But anxiety disorder also comes with its own set of symptoms, like:

  • Constant worry about many different things
  • Feeling on edge
  • Stress
  • Fatigue
  • Trouble sleeping

Anxiety disorder is more than just having anxious feelings from time to time. It's a mental illness that can affect your relationships, work, and quality of life.

How to Tell Your ADHD and Anxiety Apart

Sometimes, anxiety comes as a result of ADHD. When that's the case, your worries are often about how much -- or how little -- you're able to get done. You're anxious about or overwhelmed by your ADHD.

When you have anxiety disorder on top of your ADHD, your worries are usually about a wide variety of things and not only tied to your ADHD struggles.

Talk to your doctor so the two of you can figure out where your anxiety is coming from. Some questions they may ask you are:

  • Do you worry about things that don't make sense?
  • Do you have a hard time controlling these worries?
  • Are you getting good sleep?
  • Are your fears and worries keeping you from doing your regular activities?
  • Do you feel anxious at least three to five times a week for an hour or more a day?
  • Have you had a big life event happen recently?
  • Do any of your family members have a history of anxiety?

How to Treat ADHD and Anxiety

To zero in on the best way to treat ADHD and anxiety, your doctor will likely look at which condition affects you the most. It's possible that your treatment for ADHD may ease your anxiety, so you may only need to take ADHD medication.

When you get treatment for ADHD, it can:

  • Cut your stress
  • Improve your attention so you manage tasks better
  • Give you mental energy to handle anxiety symptoms more easily

If your anxiety is a separate condition and not a symptom of ADHD, you may need to treat both disorders at the same time.

Some treatments can work for both ADHD and anxiety, such as:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Relaxation techniques and meditation
  • Prescription medications

Effects of ADHD Medication on Your Anxiety

The most common drugs that doctors suggest for ADHD are stimulants like methylphenidate and amphetamines. Even if you have anxiety, these meds may work well for your ADHD.

Anxiety is a common side effect of stimulants. Your doctor won't know how a medication will affect you until you take it, but it's possible stimulants may make your anxiety symptoms worse.

If that's the case for you, your doctor may suggest other medicines, such as the nonstimulant medications atomoxetine (Strattera) or viloxazine (Qelbree).

Your doctor may also recommend antidepressants like:

  • Bupropion (Wellbutrin)
  • Desipramine (Norpramin)
  • Imipramine (Tofranil)
  • Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
  • Venlafaxine (Effexor)

High blood pressure drugs like clonidine (Kapvay) and guanfacine (Intuniv, Tenex) may also help.

Fighting depression: 10 modern drugs

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Fighting depression: 10 modern drugs

Depression is an urgent problem, the number of visits to doctors is growing every year. It can be solved by contacting a psychotherapist and taking antidepressants . These are drugs that regulate the production of hormones and biochemical processes in the body. It is strictly forbidden to prescribe them to oneself , as these are complex drugs with certain restrictions, side effects effects . The doctor must authorize their appointment and control the intake. We will tell you which of them are the most effective and common in medicine, how many they have pluses and minuses.

What is meant by

depression

Doctors have known it since ancient Greece and Egypt. Hippocrates described it as melancholy - a condition that is accompanied by anxiety, despondency, insomnia, refusal of food, irritability. Most often, the cause is childhood trauma or severe, frequent stress in adulthood. There are many provoking factors: the death of a loved one, deterioration of living conditions, alcoholism, brain diseases. Such cases are referred to as psychogenic depression.

The second type is endogenous. The problem appears not from large external shocks, but because of internal causes. A person is constantly dissatisfied with himself, subjecting himself to criticism. Many patients have panic attacks , haunted by a feeling of fear, anxiety.

How long the period of depression lasts

Many people mistake ordinary periods of low mood for depression. If they do not last long and are quickly replaced by periods of recovery, then we are not talking about a depressive state. The problem is obvious when the symptoms persist for months and dramatically change a person's life. Then you need to see a doctor.

What happens to the body

The most common theory is that there is a malfunction of neurotransmitters located in the brain. These substances transmit signals from neuron to neuron and are responsible for a person's mood. Dysfunction leads to a slowdown in the rate of this transmission and a decrease in the number of neurotransmitters themselves. Serotonin, which is called the "hormone of happiness", suffers the most. For clarity, this biochemical process can be compared, for example, with a drop in blood sugar levels in diabetes mellitus.

How is

treated depression

Depression has been treated in different ways. In the ancient world - emetics and laxatives. In the Renaissance - wine and sunbathing. In the Age of Enlightenment - external stimuli, for example, insects. The 19th century brought new recipes - in particular, a solution of camphor in tartaric acid. The treatment also included the use of drugs, which are now no longer allowed for sale, and some are recognized as narcotic.

Obviously, all these drugs had no effect on increasing the amount of serotonin. And the treatment is precisely to normalize its production. This was done after creating modern antidepressants , which have a minimum of side effects, are safe for the body and are not addictive. These are medicines, whose action is aimed specifically at balancing the disturbed balance of neurotransmitters: serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine.

Prescription

If a healthy person takes antidepressants , there will be no effect . For a depressed patient, taking them will help:

  • improve psychological state;
  • get rid of irritability;
  • panic fear;
  • increase mental and physical activity;
  • overcome the dreary mood.

Psychiatrists prescribe antidepressants for chronic back pain, headaches. And also with irritable bowel syndrome, incontinence and other cases when the body stops producing its own painkillers. Medication helps restore pain suppression mechanisms.

These drugs can only be taken with a doctor's prescription, as many of them are strong stimulants. Self-administration may cost dearly - the condition may worsen. Only a doctor will correctly calculate how many medicines to take per day. In parallel with the treatment by a psychiatrist, a neurologist, a consultation of a psychotherapist is required.

Precautions

  • Prescribed drug start drinking from a small dose - the first couple of days they take a quarter of a tablet. Gradually increase the dose to normal. So the body adapts better. Finish the course by reducing the dose.
  • The first effect of appears only 2 weeks after the start of administration. Sustained action - after six months. All this time, you need to take remedy, without making passes, breaks.

  • Products are not combined with melatonin, St. John's wort, products and dietary supplements based on sibutramine, 5-HTP. Their combination can raise serotonin to dangerous levels. Also, you can not combine them with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, for example, Cipralex. When writing a prescription, the doctor takes these points into account.

  • Drinking antidepressants is better in parallel with visits to a psychotherapist. If the drugs normalize the biochemical processes in the body, then this doctor will help normalize the psychological state after depression.

The best antidepressants

In medicine, they have long argued that some drugs give only a placebo effect. The purpose of the study was to find out which of them are the most effective and valid . The project involved 116 thousand patients, and its results were published by the authoritative edition of the Lancet. We offer a list of the best.

1. Agomelatine

New generation drug. Agomelatine is used for severe depressive disorders, high levels of anxiety. Enhances the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, stimulates melatonin receptors. The standard therapeutic dose is 25-50 mg 1 time / day. Helps to restore the normal structure of sleep, get rid of anxiety and panic attacks attacks

Pros

+ Does not adversely affect attention and memory.

+ No lethargy during the day.

+ No sexual deviations.

+ No relation to blood pressure.

+ Do not reduce dosage upon discontinuation.

Cons

— In 1-10% of cases, increased sweating, diarrhea, constipation.

- Possible increased fatigue, drowsiness.

- There are no evidence-based safety studies in people with renal or hepatic insufficiency, therefore, such patients are advised to refrain from taking drugs with active ingredient agomelatine.

2. Amitriptyline

Tricyclic antidepressant. Moreover, the World Health Organization considers Amitriptyline the most reliable in this group. The standard dose is 200-250 mg / day. The action is to block the reuptake of neurotransmitters. A good remedy for moderate to severe disorders of the endogenous type. Additionally, it has a sedative and hypnotic effect. Effective in the treatment of neuropathic pain, for the prevention of migraine.

Pluses

+ Preparations with active ingredient amitriptyline are inexpensive.

+ High reliability, minimum side effects.

+ Relatively safe during breastfeeding.

Cons

- Possible side effect in the form of blurred vision, dry mouth.

- Lowering blood pressure.

- Some patients experience constipation.

- Drowsiness.

3. Escitalopram

It belongs to the group of modern serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Most often, it is recommended to take for anxiety, panic attacks. It is taken once, the standard dose is 10 mg per day. Escitalopram has a milder effect and is prescribed to patients for whom tricyclic drugs are contraindicated.

Pluses

+ Lasting effect comes after 3 months.

+ Indicated for patients with disorders of the cardiovascular system.

+ Soft action.

Cons

- In some patients, the functions of the gastrointestinal tract are disturbed, which is most often expressed in diarrhea.

- Anxiety may increase during the first 2 weeks, therefore it is recommended to start treatment with low doses and gradually increase them.

- Contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation.

4. Mirtazapine

A drug of the tetracyclic group. Mirtazapine - good stimulant for anxious depressions, has a moderate sedative effect. The average amount is 30 mg / day, it must be consumed once. Usually it is prescribed to patients who lose interest in life, cease to experience joy, pleasure. Effective in the correction of sleep, in particular, early awakenings.

Pros

+ Earlier onset of action than SSRIs (1 week).

+ Works well with most general medicines.

+ Full effect in 4 weeks.

+ Does not affect sexual function.

Cons

- The active substance mirtazapine is contraindicated in diabetes mellitus, arterial hypotension, increased intraocular pressure.

— During the appointment, you must drive carefully and engage in potentially hazardous types of work.

- 18% of patients experience drowsiness, 15% dry mouth, 5% weight loss. Other side effects occur in 1-3% of cases.

5. Paroxetine

Belongs to the SSRI group, is used most often for severe anxiety, panic, social phobia, nightmares, stress after trauma. Paroxetine can resolve the problems of anxious depression, anxiety-phobic disorders. Take once a day at a dose of 20 mg.

Pros

+ The most powerful stimulant among SSRIs.

+ Anxiety and insomnia pass quickly.

+ Minimal side effects in the form of vomiting, diarrhea.

+ Suitable for patients with cardiovascular problems.

Cons

— Not suitable for patients with severe motor, mental inhibition.

- Reduces libido.

- Harmful to the fetus when taken during pregnancy.

6. Fluoxetine

One of the most commonly used antidepressants in the SSRI group. Known as Prozac. Fluoxetine is also known as a good mood stimulant. Patients have a feeling of fear, tension, anxiety, gloomy dislike for others. Depending on the indications, the average daily dose is 20-60 mg.

Pluses

+ There is practically no effect on the work of the heart.

+ Does not cause sedation.

+ Effective for patients with motor retardation and excessive daytime sleepiness.

Cons

- May cause weight loss.

— Hypoglycemia is possible in diabetes mellitus.

- Contraindicated in severe renal impairment.

7. Fluvoxamine

Another SSRI drug. Fluvoxamine is similar to Prozac Fluoxetine but is fast acting and may cost cheaper. The effect is in a more active slowing down of the reuptake of serotonin by neurons. It is indicated for depression of various origins, as well as obsessive-compulsive disorders. The average daily dose is 100 mg.

Pros

+ Lower price than traditional Prozac.

+ Faster action than him.

+ Relatively minor side effects (diarrhea, dry mouth, drowsiness).

Cons

- Contraindicated in diabetes.

- Pregnant women - with caution, lactation - prohibited.

- Causes nausea in some patients.

8. Sertraline

One of the widely used and universal drugs of the SSRI group. They treat almost any depressive condition, panic disorder, social phobia. However, in severe clinical cases, sertraline may not be effective enough. The standard dose is 50 mg/day.

Pros

+ No cardiotoxicity.

+ The patient's psychomotor activity does not change.

+ Does not increase body weight.

+ Combines well with other groups of antidepressants.

Cons

— In the first 2 weeks there may be problems with sleep, diarrhea.

- Side effects of a sexual nature.

- Contraindicated in pregnant women.

9. Escitalopram

The drug is classified as an SSRI. Its difference is in its effectiveness in depression, which is accompanied by involuntary movements (tic, tremor, chewing, smacking). Escitalopram is prescribed to patients with panic, anxiety, phobias, obsessive thoughts or actions. The daily dose is 20 mg.

Pluses

+ Effective in tardive dyskinesia.

+ One of the most powerful SSRIs.

+ More pronounced thymoleptic effect (improvement of mood) compared to many antidepressants of the same group.

Cons

- In some patients, anxiety increases within 2 weeks after starting treatment.

— Gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia, agitation are possible.

— Use during pregnancy only in extreme cases, incompatible with feeding.

10. Venlafaxine

Belongs to the SNRI group. In addition to blocking the reuptake of serotonin, venlafaxine has a similar effect on another neurotransmitter, norepinephrine. The medicine is prescribed for depressive conditions of various origins, social phobias, anxiety, panic. Usually take 150 mg per day.

Pros

+ Better tolerated by patients than most tricyclics.

+ More pronounced effect than classic SSRIs.

+ Fewer contraindications.

Cons

- Traditional side effects of most antidepressants: nausea, drowsiness, dry mouth, diarrhea or constipation.

- May increase eye pressure.

- The most severe withdrawal syndrome among antidepressant drugs.

This list is not to be used as a recommendation. In any case, consult your doctor before purchasing. Be healthy!

Which antidepressants are best for anxiety and depression - Healthy Youth Center

The best treatment for depression is complex. A specialist (psychotherapist or psychiatrist) creates an individual treatment plan and, based on the examination, selects only those components that correspond to the indications and contraindications. Typically, these are antidepressants combined with some other medication for depression, stress, and anxiety. The patient takes the prescribed drugs for depression until there is a therapeutic effect or a stable remission. Treatment of depression takes a long time. As a rule, therapy lasts from 1.5 to 7 months.

Prescribing drugs for calming nerves and against depression

Drugs for depression and anxiety have a pronounced effect, they are potent drugs that have a number of contraindications and side effects if the doctor's prescription and instructions for use are not followed. That is why drugs for depression without prescriptions cannot be bought in our country. It is impossible to both prescribe and stop taking drugs against depression on your own, this can affect mental health, lead to the development of depressive states and even suicidal thoughts.

Therefore, it is very important to follow all the doctor's recommendations, take drugs for depression and stress in the dosage prescribed by the doctor. Even if a person's mood improved after a week and the main symptoms disappeared, you should not stop taking the drug.

The drug method is quite effective in anxiety-depressive disorders and neurotic conditions. It is important that the diagnosis of depression be made by a specialist, since taking medications simply to cheer up in the absence of deviations from the psyche can cause only a number of side effects. Antidepressants, neuroleptics and tranquilizers are potent drugs that are prescribed only with a diagnosis confirmed by a doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable. Next, consider the main drugs for stress and depression that are prescribed to patients.

Antidepressants

Should I take antidepressants for severe depression? Many people believe that these drugs are addictive. If earlier drugs that could cause addiction and drug dependence were used in psychotherapy, today new generation drugs are used that affect the human body and psyche more gently and sparingly.

Among the reasons for distrust in the use of antidepressants for depression, one can single out the fact that if the course of treatment is interrupted, a person may feel worse. If abstinence occurs, this indicates an incorrect withdrawal of the prescribed drug. Do not take such a reaction of the body as an addiction to pills.

If the artificial synthesis of brain neurotransmitters is stopped, their quantity in the human body will drop sharply. Patients feel that the depression or anxiety disorder is returning as anxiety increases. Any changes in the condition should be reported to the attending physician. The specialist knows how to smoothly cancel the prescribed medicine. In combination with psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy works excellently, giving a long-term result.

There are several classes of drugs for anxiety and depression.

Tricyclic

The first group includes drugs that have a tricyclic structure, they do not belong to sedatives and prevent the instant breakdown of neurotransmitters (serotonin and norepinephrine). They do not disappear from the nerve endings, their synthesis increases, as does the amount of serotonin. These drugs have a number of contraindications, they are not recommended for people who have kidney and liver diseases, glaucoma, atherosclerosis, and drugs are taken.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

MAOIs are monoamine neurotransmitters that regulate our emotions, as well as a number of processes in the brain: attention, cognitive functions, memory, arousal. Due to the inhibition of leasing, there is an increase in the amount of monoamines and their accumulation in the nerve endings. Some groups of these drugs are contraindicated for pregnant women and people who work that requires concentration, as well as hypertensive patients.

Selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

The third group of drugs for the treatment of depression are serotonin selective uptake inhibitors. Medications are prescribed in order to replenish the "hormones of happiness. " Do not think that this happens quickly, the process of restoring neurotransmitters is gradual. SSRIs have one important advantage - with the abrupt withdrawal of drugs, there is no withdrawal syndrome. Among the contraindications to their use are diseases of the genitourinary system, as well as alcoholism and drug addiction.

If a person develops alcoholism against the background of a depressive state, he should not take antidepressants, since alcohol increases the side effects of the depression medication. Symptoms of the disorder can increase significantly, and the condition can worsen. Quite often, psychological causes cause the development of alcohol dependence, the risk of depression in alcoholics is many times higher than in healthy people. The first group of drugs against depression is especially dangerous to combine with ethanol, as this leads to a sharp increase in pressure.

Which antidepressant is best for anxiety and depression? The doctor will answer this question for you, the choice of medicines should always take into account the individual characteristics of the patient's body.

Tranquilizers for depression and neurosis

Species:

  • sleeping pills;

  • sedatives;

  • muscle relaxants.

In the first case, there is a significant reduction in anxiety, improved quality and increased sleep duration. Doctors do not recommend taking sleeping pills for a long time or independently extending the period of admission prescribed by a specialist, since drugs in this group can cause drug dependence. Because of this feature, sleeping pills are popular with drug addicts.

Sedative drugs have a positive effect on the central nervous system, they can be both herbal and synthetic and have a rather mild effect on the central nervous system. They help to restore the balance between the systems of excitation and inhibition, give a person the opportunity to more calmly respond to stressful situations and eliminate sleep problems.

Muscle relaxants - drugs that reduce the tone of the muscles of the skeleton and reduce motor activity. They block H-cholinergic receptors and stop the supply of impulses to the muscles, due to which they stop contracting.

Tranquilizers are used for depression and panic attacks, sleep problems, as well as for:

  • behavioral and mental disorders;
  • neuroses;
  • psychoses;
  • personality disorders;
  • causeless fears;
  • schizophrenia;
  • when stopping withdrawal symptoms in alcohol and drug addiction;
  • eczema;
  • anorexia;
  • bulimia;
  • arrhythmias;
  • hypertension.

In some cases, these psychotropic drugs are given to children. Do not use drugs of this group for people with alcohol or drug intoxication. Doctors do not advise drugs for the treatment of neurosis and depression and during work associated with increased concentration of attention, including drivers.

As with the treatment of depression with antidepressants, in order to reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation of the drug, it is necessary to reduce the dosage gradually. Your doctor should tell you about this. In addition, a long course of its use is fraught with the development of drug dependence, so the course is divided into short periods. Pregnant and lactating women should not use tranquilizers.

Preparations help to cope with stress, to endure traumatic situations more easily, eliminate fears, phobias, panic attacks without inhibiting cognitive functions. Quite often, tranquilizers help eliminate sleep problems, frequent awakenings, insomnia at night, and daytime sleepiness. In the treatment of psychosis, these medications are used as part of a complex therapy that helps eliminate the side effect of antipsychotics. But the drugs themselves have various side effects, including muscle weakness, lethargy, decreased concentration of reactions, libido, memory impairment, a drop in blood pressure, and nausea.

Tranquilizers are quite dangerous drugs, some of them are classified as pharmacy drugs, since if the duration of treatment and dosage are violated, psychophysical dependence can occur. Their use is also known for recreational purposes. If you notice that your loved one has been taking the same medication for a long time, you should seek help from the Center for Healthy Youth. After all, it is possible that he became addicted and now needs drug addiction treatment. We work throughout Russia. The appeal is free and anonymous.

Antipsychotics for depression and anxiety

Today, drugs such as neuroleptics are actively used in the treatment of depression and neurosis. They eliminate panic fears, anxiety, normalize sleep patterns.

Doctors classify them according to their chemical structure.

  1. Dibenzazepines are needed to combat psychotic manifestations, they are excellent in combination with other drugs, but they have a minimal sedative effect, have quite few adverse reactions.
  2. Aliphatic phenothiazines have a greater sedative and sedative effect and eliminate sleep problems.
  3. Phenothiazine derivatives are used in the presence of pain, vascular problems.
  4. Butyrophenones are drugs that are used in medicine to combat delusional disorders and hallucinations, they have practically no sedative effect.

There are 2 types of antipsychotics: typical and atypical (as well as those with prolonged and non-prolonged action). In the first case, these are drugs that are already a thing of the past, they really did a good job with their main task - the relief of psychotic symptoms, but they had a rather large number of undesirable side effects.

In the second case, the use of atypical antipsychotics is more modern. These are drugs of the latest generation, antipsychotics, which have practically no side effects. If drugs have a prolonged effect, this means that they have a long-term effect on the body, for example, within a month.

Nootropics for depression and asthenia

Nootropic drugs, also known as cerebroprotectors or neurometabolic stimulants, are an effective tool for a specific effect on the higher functions of the psyche. It increases the resistance of the central nervous system to the effects of negative factors of traumatic episodes. Nootropics have a positive effect on the intellectual and cognitive abilities of a person, help him improve memory, focus on the important, increase learning and stress resistance.

These psychotropic drugs are divided into the following groups:

  • true;
  • neuroprotectors;
  • primary action;
  • secondary action;
  • neuroregulatory.

They have various effects: anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant, mnestic, antihypoxic, help with ischemia and intoxication, improve metabolism and metabolic processes in the central nervous system, neurotransmitter metabolism.

Among the contraindications are pregnancy and lactation, stomach ulcers, kidney and liver diseases, allergic reactions to the components of the drug. Before their appointment, the doctor examines the patient, during the course of therapy he will take a urine test to obtain accurate data on the results of treatment.

Effective drugs for depression

Phenazepam

This is perhaps the most common drug in narcology and psychiatry. However, it is popular not only because it is highly effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders, but also because it is a dangerous pharmacy drug that causes addiction.

That is why the doctor controls the duration of the course of treatment and the dosage. It will not be possible to buy Phenazepam in a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription. This is a benzodiazepine that acts on the central nervous system and is a potent drug. Today, the tranquilizer is used less and less, as it has a rather large list of side effects, including drug dependence. It has a sedative and hypnotic effect.

Afobazole

Innovative modern drug used for depression and neurosis. It eliminates anxiety, anxiety, relieves tension and stress, does not cause drowsiness, and has a minimum of side effects. The drug is a neuroprotector, protects nerve cells, stabilizes GABA receptors.

Mexidol

The purpose of antioxidants is to protect the body from dangerous substances that damage cells and adversely affect human health. The drug is prescribed to patients after TBI, in the presence of deviations from the cerebral circulation, stress. Mexidol is used in the treatment of encephalopathy, coronary artery disease and VVD.

Magnesium

Our bodies cannot function properly without magnesium. This substance is involved not only in metabolic processes, but also affects the work of the central nervous system. That is why it is necessary for depressive disorders to make up for the existing magnesium deficiency.

Quetiapine

To a greater extent, the agent acts on serotonin receptors than on dopamine receptors. Therefore, depression is prescribed quite rarely, or in minimal doses. Most often used for more severe diseases, dementia, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Contraindications are oncology, hypotension, heart attack, diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver.

Amitriptyline

The drug increases the concentration of norepinephrine and serotonin and inhibits their reuptake. It is used in the presence of psycho-emotional disorders, psychosis, anxiety, insomnia, depression. It is not recommended to take in the presence of hard drinking and alcoholism, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, pregnancy.

Atarax

Inhibits the work of the central nervous system, is prescribed for mental disorders, psychomotor agitation, nervousness, anxiety, irritability. It is not used during pregnancy and individual intolerance to the components of the drug.

Over-the-counter depression treatment

Don't think you can buy stress and depression medications without a prescription. Also, do not be mistaken about self-treatment. Depression is not just a bad mood or spleen, but a real deviation in the psyche, which is treated not only with medication, but also with long-term work with psychologists, psychotherapists or psychiatrists. If you regularly have suicidal thoughts, lack of appetite, disturbed sleep patterns, you should contact a specialist.

However, you can improve your mood and avoid illness if you use as a preventive measure:

  • sport;
  • travel;
  • breathing exercises;
  • creative pursuits;
  • bathing in hot baths;
  • consumption of green tea;
  • aromatherapy;
  • meditation.

Physical education and exercise help synthesize new neural connections that have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system and human mood. Just 30 minutes of exercise a day and a bad mood does not threaten you. No less useful for the activity of brain cells is dancing. Art therapy helps to get rid of negative emotions, relieves stress, breathing exercises contribute to a better supply of oxygen to the brain. Green tea or tomato juice will help to cope with stress. Inhaling essential oils also regulates mood.

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